Monday, January 21, 2008

Two Weeks In (Part Two)

Perhaps the question I was most commonly asked when I told people that I was coming up here was about the length of daylight hours, and whether it would be dark for 24-hours a day. Fortunately, Yellowknife is far enough South that it's never in 24-hours of darkness, though the days get mighty short in December. This time of year, we're looking at about six hours of daylight at a stretch, which does mean walking to work in the dark (which I have so artistically illustrated below: that's 8:20 a.m.), but the days are only getting longer.

The plus side about heading to work in the dark - if you are lucky enough to have an East-facing office and work in the Northwest Territories - is that you can have the privilege of watching the sun creep up over the horizon for over an hour in the morning. The shots below don't nearly do what I saw this morning justice, but you get the idea. NWT sunrises might just be a better time-waster than Facebook.

I probably have been given an office with such a stellar view because of the prestige attached with my official title. It's rare for a co-op student to be given a ministerial portfolio, but I proved myself worthy within a couple of days of being up here:

As for the work itself, it's been a largely positive experience so far, with the usual lamentations about life in an office thrown in for good measure. This being the first desk job I've ever had, it takes some getting used to. It's a far cry from canoeing along the Bartibog River or selling camping gear to tourists, but I'm settling in nicely. Those of you who are familiar with the brilliance that is Office Space will relate to the strong paternal instinct I felt when I discovered a red Swingline stapler in my office this afternoon.

I'm going to make Milton proud and guard that little wonder with my life.

I hope they don't ask me to go ahead and take care of the cockroach problem.

Hey Skat...welcome to desk life! It definately does not compare to gliding down the Bartibog. The worst times behind my desk are in the warm summer months when the sun is bright and hot and I am stuck behind here dreaming of jumping in the pool (being scolded by the creepy camp groupnd worked) and eating a grilled cheese, it passes, but still hits me after all these years! Brawg

About Me

Perpetual wanderer with a penchant for live music, outdoor pursuits and potato chips. Currently paying the bills as a criminal lawyer (that is, a lawyer specializing in criminal law) and writing in my spare time. Thanks for stopping by, and feel free to tell me what you think.
hartshouldice@hotmail.com